The Sunday News
Sikhumbuzo Moyo in Moscow, Russia
THE inaugural participation by Zimbabwe at the Gazprom Football for Friendship event in Moscow, Russia could have been insignificant to some but to a bigger eye, the presence of Zimbabwe was a huge football and diplomatic coup for the country.
The F4F programme started in 2013 but the country has not been partaking, for reasons still not known especially looking at the fact that all that was needed was for an application to be made since all the costs, traveling, accommodation and food get to be fully met by the organisers.
The programme opens avenues for both the participants and their countries as they get to meet and make new friends from far and wide, in the process improving the country’s image and promoting sports tourism.
“I really don’t even know why we have not been part of this global community. This is a huge gateway for the image of the country as well as possible linkages that will help promote and improve our game back home,” says the Zifa technical director Wilson Mutekede who together with the association’s communications manager Xolisani Gwesela accompanied the young duo of Allan Kapiri and Awakhiwe Ncube to the event in Moscow.
Like what Russia President Vladimir Putin said that such large scale initiatives as Football for Friendship carry out an important mission, they support youth sports, promote values of a healthy lifestyle, teach children to respect representatives of different nationalities and cultures.
“But what is most important is that these initiatives make a present of the joy of communication and the brightest, unforgettable emotions to the children,” Russia’s first person says of the programme.
A total of 211 countries and regions participated at this year’s event that culminated with the awarding of the Nine Values Cup to Brazil national team. The awards night, held at the Center for Oceanography and Marine Biology on Wednesday evening was also graced by the legendary Spanish goalkeeper Iker Cassillas.
“We have chosen football as a tool that would help young athletes learn how to understand each other better and teach this to their friends and family. The ability to find a common language, despite any differences, is a guaranteed route to success for team sports, business and as a way of living. We have no doubt that many have decided to make sport their primary occupation yet whichever vocation you pursue, the skill of co-operation will always be your true ally,” Alexey Miller, chairman of the Gazprom management committee reasons.
Speaking earlier this week, young Awakhiwe, a pupil at SOS Primary School in Bulawayo alluded to the programme’s values when he said he and Kapiri had made lots of friends and learnt a lot of different cultures.
“We are enjoying our stay here so far. We have made many friends from across the world and I think the programme is really living true to it’s founding values,” he said during an interview at the Sapsan Arena.
Their team, whose coach was Kapiri Wood Peckers team coached by Kapiri had members from Guatamala,Nicaragua, Germany, Beliz, Canada and Slovakia.
Football for Friendship, also named F4F is an International Children’s social programme which has been in existence since 2013 courtesy of Gazprom Company and it includes a number of sports, educational and cultural events held around the world.
From 2013 to last year, the programme increased eight fold to 64 participating countries and this year the number went up to 211 as the youngsters gathered to play Football and promote the F45 Nine Values to the world.
